The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-12
JACOB.
fGenesis xii. 9-12i 24-30. ]


Having been assured in the dream at Bethel
of the Divine presence and protection, and
that the blessing promised to Abraham and
renewed to Isaac, his father, would surely be
fulfilled in him, jacob proceeded on his
Journey to the home of Laban, his mothers
brother, who dwelt in Haran from which
place Abraham had come to Canaan. At q
well, where she had come to water her ia
theirs flocks, he met Rachel, Laban's younger
daughter, whom he slowed at first sight, !" be-
cause of her beauty. He made known his
relationship, embraced her affectionately,
and was received with demonstrations of
heartiest cordially into the home of her ia
Their, his mothers brother. After time he
sought her in marriage, for which he engaged
to serve her exacting father seven years. At
the end of the specified time which, it is said,
"seemed to him but few days for the love
he had to her," Laban's deception caused
him to accept for his wife the elder and less
comely daughter, Leah, Laban giving as an
excuse for the fraud practiced, that it was
not the custom of the country to give the
younger in marriage before the first-born.
Jacob was receiving "pay in his own coin"
for the fraud he had practiced upon his old
father when he received, in place of his
brother, his dying blessing. Laban exacted
seven more years of service for Rachel, which
was freely granted, and Jacob received the
bride of his hearts faithful affection. Hav-
ing faithfully served his father-in- law four
teen years, and perhaps longer, and son
having been born to him by his beloved wife
Rachel, whom she called Joseph, because GoD
had removed the reproach of her childless
condition, Jacob desired to return to the
home of his father, but was persuaded by
I.aban to continue upon conditions of his
own. Jacob contrived to get the best OF the
bargain, and Laban becoming dissatisfied,
he finally left his service and taking his fam
lily and possessions, started for Canaan, his
own land, that had been promised to his pos
terity by JEHOVAH in the dream at Bethel,
and which was included in the patriarchal
blessing. His own shrewdness had been
quite a match for his uncle's, and he was now
in possession of great wealth. His family
comprised his two wives and their maids,
and eleven sons and one daughter. On the
way to Canaan, Jacobs caravan approached
the neighborhood of his brother Esau's en-
campment. Thought it had been twenty years
or more since the fraudulent transaction that
deprived his brother of his fathers dying
blessing and patrimony, yetthe sin against his
brother "found him out" and rose in mem
ory to trouble and brighten him. He learned
to his dismay that Esau had heard of his APP
proach, and was on the road to meet him
with four hundred men. Anticipating the
worst, having sent messengers to meet him
with conciliatory message, ne divides his
encampment, that one part may escape
should the other perish. Having taken all
possible precaution, both to conclliate
brother whom he had greatly offended and
to escape whose murderous threat he has left
the land to which be was now returning, and
to protect and preserve his family aud pos
sessions, he appeals to GoD in fervent prayer
to remember and fulfill His promise which
He made to Him in the vision at Bethel. His
prayer and the spiritual experience in which
it resulted forms the subject of our Lesson
to- day.